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From D-Day to V-Day

April 1945

April 14, 1945 - D-Day + 242

The First Canadian Army’s I Canadian Corps mopped up Arnhem and approached Apeldoorn, while the II Canadian Corps occupied Zwolle and headed northwards to Meppel.

Forces from the British Second Army continued to advance on Bremen and Soltau throughout the day, and the British 15th Infantry Division under the VIII Corps reached the outskirts of Uelzen.

Securing the northern flank of the Ninth Army’s XIII Corps, the 11th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) advanced eastwards to the Elbe. Units from the 5th Armored Division mopped up the area along the Elbe for now and received orders not to cross the river. Infantry regiments from the 84th and 102nd Infantry Divisions arrived at the Elbe. The 2nd Armored Division under the XIX Corps was unable to build a pontoon bridge, and as a result Combat Command B could not provide tank support the infantry units on the east bank of the river. Under heavy pressure, the infantry units were ordered to withdraw to the west bank. Combat Command R crossed the Elbe at Barby, was later attached to the 83rd Infantry Division and took over defending the left flank of the bridgehead. The 329th and 331st Infantry Regiments and two field artillery battalions from the 83rd Infantry Division finished crossing the Elbe. Meanwhile, the 35th Infantry Division’s 137th Infantry Regiment took up positions along the west bank of the river, from Tangermünde to Grieben. In the operational zone of the XVI Corps, Herdecke’s garrison laid down their arms and surrendered to the 75th Infantry Division.

The 13th Armored Division under the US First Army’s XVIII Corps launched a final assault in the Ruhr Pocket area, attacking from the Bergisch Gladbach – Bensberg area towards Wipperfürth. Combat Command B commanded by Col Harold G. Holt made contact with units from the Ninth Army. The 97th Infantry Division mopped up the area behind the attacking tanks. At the same time, the 78th Infantry Division advanced to positions west of Burscheid and entered Wermelskirchen. The 8th Infantry Division’s 28th Infantry Regiment occupied Schwelm, while its sister 13th Infantry Regiment advanced to the Ruhr River near Wetter. The 86th Infantry Division’s 341st Infantry Regiment conquered Hagen; meanwhile, its sister 342nd Infantry Regiment headed toward Hohenlimburg and the 343rd Infantry Regiment mopped up several villages along the Lenne River. The 5th Infantry Division’s 2nd and 10th Infantry Regiments under the III Corps engaged in fighting in the area between the Ruhr and Honne Rivers. Meanwhile, the 11th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Paul J. Black came back from Frankfurt/Main and returned to their home 5th Infantry Division. The 7th Armored Division’s Combat Command A advanced to Hemer. Early in the morning, the 3rd Armored Division under the VII Corps crossed bridges built by the Army’s Corps of Engineers over the Saale River, and then rapidly advanced to the northeast to Dessau and the confluence of the Elbe and Mulde Rivers. The 1st Infantry Division trekked forward through the Harz Mountains, and despite the rugged terrain and innumerable road barricades, made contact with the 104th Infantry Division’s 413th Infantry Regiment, which was advancing along its flank. Task Force Kelleher advanced to the Saale River at Lettin, and units from the 9th Infantry Division mopped up the eastern section of the Harz Mountains. Under the US V Corps, the 9th Armored Division’s Combat Command A commanded by Col Thomas L. Harold reinforced its positions along the Wesse-Elster River, and at 1400 hrs attacked in the direction of Lobstädt. At the same time, Combat Command B crossed a newly built bridge over the river and subsequently headed eastwards, while Combat Command R advanced to Borna and occupied Breitingen and the industrial park in Deutzingen. Battalions from the 2nd Infantry Division’s 9th and 23rd Infantry Regiments reached the Saale River north of Merseburg. The 23rd Regiment used the damaged railroad bridge to cross the river and built a bridgehead, while the 38th Infantry Regiment, presently with reinforcements from the 9th Regiment’s 3rd Battalion, crossed the river at Weissenfels and slowly advanced northwards to the synthetic gas plant and rubber factories in Merseburg and Leuna. The 69th Infantry Division’s 271st Infantry Regiment finished occupying Weissenfels, and its sister 272nd Infantry Regiment headed to Lützkewitz, a village on the Weisse River.

The 6th Armored Division under the US Third Army’s XX Corps broke through the strong German defense lines along the Weisse-Elster River and continued eastwards to the Zwick-Mulde River. One column from Combat Command B arrived at the river in Rochlitz and built a bridgehead, while the second stopped near Carsdorf. Combat Command A advanced to Oberkossa and Spora. After crossing the river, Combat Command R destroyed several anti-aircraft batteries at Zeitz and subsequently sent reconnaissance out to Altenburg. The 4th Armored Division’s Combat Command B expanded the bridgehead at Wolkenburg and took charge of two bridges in Penig, and Combat Command A occupied Limbach-Oberfrohna and Wüstenbrand. The 80th Infantry Division’s 318th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col James S. Luckett advanced behind the armored units, while its sister 319th Infantry Regiment mopped up the city of Gera. In the interim, the 80th “Blue Ridge” Division’s 317th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Henry G. Fisher relieved units from the 5th Rangers Battalion commanded by Lt Col Max Schneider in Weimar. Maneuvering at the vanguard of the VIII Corps’ 87th Infantry Division, Task Force Sundt crossed a newly built bridge over the Saale River near Saalfeld and advanced to Peuschen. Its 347th Infantry Regiment headed to Schmorda. The 11th Armored Division’s Combat Command B under the XII Corps attacked Bayreuth in two columns from the north and the west. Envoys were sent into the city to call on the Germans to surrender, but returned empty handed. What followed was a major assault on Bayreuth: the city was attacked by tactical aircraft and showered with intense artillery fire. One combat command column then entered the outskirts to the north. The task of mopping up the city was later given to the men from the 71st Infantry Division. The 96th Infantry Division advanced to the A9 Autobahn linking Berlin with Nuremberg in Selbitz, Münchberg, and Stretau. The 90th Infantry Division was deployed along the Saale River, at the Saale Reservoir, and along the Selbitz River, managing to occupy Bad Lobenstein in the process. Southeast of Lichtenberg, the 90th Reconnaissance Squadron took charge of a bridge over the Selbitz River that battalions from the 358th Infantry Regiment crossed; the battalions went on to attack and conquer Blankenberg.

Forces from the Seventh Army’s XV Corps finished occupying Bamberg and subsequently attacked southwards towards Nuremberg. In the course of the day, units from the 42nd Infantry Division’s 222nd and 232nd Infantry Regiments under the XXI Corps advanced along both sides of the A3 Autobahn linking Würzburg with Nuremberg while pushing the enemy to the southeast. The 12th Armored Division’s Combat Command B stopped along the Aisch River and built a small bridgehead in Dietersheim before the Germans destroyed the bridge. The 101st Cavalry Group (Mechanized) used the ford in Lenkersheim and the bridge in Ipsheim to get over the river. The 100th Infantry Division under the VI Corps headed out of the Heilbronn area towards Löwenstein and advanced to the Talheim – Unterheinriet line. The 10th Armored Division made contact with Century Division units near Öhringen.

The Détachement d'armée de l'Atlantique (DA Atl) army formation under the French First Army launched an offensive that aimed to mop up the mouth of the Gironde River in the Royan area.

American fighter bombers started to intensify their activity in the skies over the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. In the course of the day the pilots bombed airfields in both Cheb and Marienbad, destroying twenty German aircraft. Two days later, the American fighter bombers would tear into Bohemia once more, causing havoc on the local airfields as never before.